ZURICH, SWITZERLAND / RankWire.AI / – Switzerland’s glaciers saw a reduction of 5.5% in their total ice volume in 2026, marking the nation’s second most significant annual percentage decrease on record. The retreat occurred after a winter with limited snowfall and a summer characterized by multiple heatwaves. Glacier Monitoring Switzerland, known as GLAMOS, assessed the loss across the Swiss Alps during the 2026 observation period. The Swiss Academy of Sciences reported that almost 20% of the country’s glacier volume has vanished over the past five years.
The winter of 2025 to 2026 ranked among Switzerland’s ten least snowy winters since systematic measurements began. Persistently hot and dry conditions from May through September further increased stress on exposed glacier surfaces. The freezing level surpassed 4,000 metres on 76 days—more than double the average for the warm season. By September, researchers observed no remaining snow at elevations around 3,500 metres in the monitored regions.
During the latest observation period, the average thickness of glaciers decreased by approximately 2.5 to 4 metres. Some glacier tongues experienced losses of as much as 10 metres of ice. Major glaciers such as Allalin, Clariden, Great Aletsch and Rhône recorded their most significant melt since measurements started. Only the year 2022 had a larger national percentage loss in Switzerland’s extensive glacier record. The extent of retreat affected both the high-altitude ice and the lower sections across the Alps.
Decline of Smaller Glaciers Signals Deepening Ice Loss in the Alps
Complete disappearance of several smaller glaciers occurred during the 2026 season, including Bella Tola in Valais and Griessfirn in Glarus. Their vanishing adds to a broader trend of ongoing ice depletion across Switzerland’s Alpine zones. Recent measurements indicate a nearly 20% reduction in glacier volume since 2021. These losses followed years of weak snowfall and intense summer melting, with widespread thinning documented across both large and smaller glaciers.
Between July and September, glacier melt contributed approximately 2.2 trillion litres of water—more than quadrupling the annual drinking-water needs of Swiss households. This meltwater flowed into Alpine rivers and water systems amidst a period of widespread summer dryness. The figures highlight how much ice was transferred into Switzerland’s water cycle in just three months, with higher summer temperatures accelerating the seasonal ice loss across many monitored sites.
Comparing 2026 to Record Melt Year Highlights Snow Conditions
The losses experienced in 2026 did not surpass the record melt observed in 2022, a year marked by even more extreme glacier conditions. One notable difference was the initial snow cover at the start of summer; many glaciers entered the 2026 melt season with slightly more snow than in 2022. Additionally, less Saharan dust settled on the snow during 2026. Cleaner snow reflects more sunlight, whereas the darker dust-covered surfaces absorb more solar radiation.
Nevertheless, Switzerland documented significant glacier losses across both high elevations and lower tongues in 2026. Field surveys, snow measurements, and mass-balance observations tracked changes through September. The findings revealed extensive ice loss, the disappearance of smaller glaciers, and substantial reductions in thickness across the country. These results place 2026 among the most severe years in the long-term Swiss glacier measurement record. The latest data contribute to the ongoing trend of sharp contraction within Switzerland’s glacier system over recent years.